Nature's Dance
by Hendelnor
Summary: RoLo - Logan and Ororo settle some unfinished business. ***DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters written about in this story. They are owned by Marvel.***
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Hello Everyone! Hope you all are having a wonderful summer so far. This is a short and simple story I wrote almost two years ago and forgot I had it sitting there in my files. Hope you all enjoy it.**_

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Never before had he seen a more welcoming sight as he did the intimidating iron gates leading to Xavier's Institute for Higher Learning. He sat on his treasured motorcycle, giving his enhanced senses free reign. He felt the touch of the blazing summer sun's beams beating down on him. He heard the many distinct sounds around him, the buzzing of various insects, distant traffic and the calls of the birds and other animals. Last but not least, he took in the myriad of scents that surrounded him, the trees, motor oil, the grass, the soil. Amidst the myriad of scents, the ones that stood out for him were those of ginger and roses, magnolias and honey and that oh so heavenly pungent mixture of sandalwood, vanilla and freshly fallen rain.

A slow, lazy grin overrode his handsome features at the thought of that last one, but he was instantly reminded that his long overdue return may not be welcomed by all. It was one hell of a sobering thought. _Well, here we go,_ he thought with a sigh, _time ta pay the piper_. He reached out and keyed in the security code that belonged to him, while extra security measures demanded he inserted his palm into the scanner to scan his fingerprints. With a loud groan, the gates slowly swung open, bidding him entrance. As he guided the motorcycle the remaining distance to the entrance of the daunting structure looming before him, he couldn't help but think there was no place like home. During his yearlong sojourn, his thoughts never strayed too far away from this place and the band of merry geeks as he affectionately referred to them, especially her. He grinned at the enormity of the uproar he was sure his return was about to create.

As he slipped off the machine and walked it up the last few yards to the mansion's doors, he took stock of his "family" there to greet him. He felt like the prodigal son, finally finding his way back home. Chuck, One-Eye, Jeannie, Elf, Popsicle, Cajun, Wings, a purple haired woman, Tin man, Half pint and Marie. Noticeably absent was her. He sighed mentally, not too surprised.

A slow smile crept up Logan's face as he approached the motley crew of geeks. He reached up and remove his Stetson. "I see the welcomin' committee is out."

Marie was the first to launch herself into his arms, hugging him, pawing his face and rambling on nonstop, refusing to give him a chance to get his bearings. Logan laughed heartily. God, but he missed her too.

"Ah was beginning ta tink ya wasn't comin' back," Marie said shyly, hugging him again.

"And risk havin' ya hunt me down, if I stayed away longer?" He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "I missed ya too, kid."

Jean was next in line to welcome him. She had that smile that once upon a time did funny things to his insides, but not anymore. Now, his heart belonged to another and his perceived love for the beautiful redhead was a distant memory. She rose on tip toes and kissed him gently on the cheek. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Scott's scowl and he couldn't resist goading him. Hell, the one-eyed freak made it so easy. "Ya see, Scooter? She wants me."

Scott's scowl deepened and Logan couldn't help but chuckle. He turned to Jean. "It's good ta be back." She gave him another soft smile before hurrying back to Scott's side.

Kitty was the next to give him a shy hug. His half pint was still a bit on the shy side. The others then swarmed him, giving him handshakes and slaps on the back with hearty 'welcome backs'. The unidentified woman with the purple hair he learned was a mutant named Betsy Braddock and it didn't take a genius to figure out that she and Angel were a couple. Logan walked over to where his mentor turned friend was sitting, watching the scene with an amused expression.

"Hey Chuck."

Charles smiled, reaching out his hand to clasp Logan's much larger one. "Welcome home, Logan." Telepathically, he added *I trust everything is alright?*

*Yeah.*

*We can speak whenever you are ready.*

*Thanks Chuck.*

Charles sensed his unspoken question. *She wanted to give you a chance to get reacquainted with the others first.*

Typical Ororo, always putting others before herself. Logan gave a curt nod, then turned around to see that everyone else had left to give him and Charles privacy.

"Is my room still available?" Logan asked.

"Yes it is. Believe it or not Logan, as I have reiterated many times, this is your home. You will find your room exactly as you left it," Charles responded.

Logan ran his hand down the back of his neck. "Exactly? I guess I got my work cut out fer me cleanin' up and all."

"On the contrary. Ororo has seen to it that your room was cleaned and aired out at least a few times since your departure. Most recently two weeks ago. If anything is out of the ordinary, you will have to discuss it with her."

Logan's heart did a cartwheel in his chest at the mere mention of her name. She must have known that he would have been back soon. Sneaking a sly look at Charles, Logan knew by the amused look on the telepath's face that he knew everything.

As Charles began to wheel away to reenter the house, he said, "I shall see you at dinner, Logan."

"Will be there."

Logan retraced his steps to where he parked the bike, knocked the kickstand up with his booted heel, then began walking the machine to the garage. He wondered where she was. Was she upset that he took this long to return to them? To her? He guess only time will tell once he faced her.

Ororo. Storm, 'Ro, the Weather Goddess, the Wind Rider, the love his life, his chosen mate, his alpha female. Logan growled softly as the images of her that persistently dominated his thoughts rush him. From the very beginning, she had weaved a spell over him, ensnaring him, body, mind, heart and soul. But being the stubborn, thickheaded fool he was, he ran from that instantaneous connection and the love he felt for her. His wind rider was the most bewitching, beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes upon in his long lifetime. Sure Mariko and Kayla were beautiful women too, but beautiful took on a whole new meaning when one was talking about Ororo.

His beast roared to life whenever it sensed her, incessantly chanting those two words in his head like a broken record… _Mate…Mine_. There were just so many facets to his chosen mate that it would take a lifetime to unearth every single one of them. She was nature personified, with hair the color of the clouds, skin the color of the earth and eyes the color of the sky. She was formidable, yet tender, shrewd, yet trusting, deadly in battle, yet refined, gentle and the sexiest woman alive. Simply put, they were yin and yang, interconnected in this natural world.

She had penetrated his defenses and captured him good and no matter what he did, he wasn't able to escape her lure. His attempts to shun her pull were all in vain. Chief among them was his single minded pursuit of the beautiful redheaded doctor Jean Grey. Again, another beautiful woman, but not and could never be on the level of the weather witch's beauty. He flirted relentlessly with the redhead and made no secret that he loved her. He obstinately and unashamedly pursued her because she kept the bestial part of himself dormant. His beast never once raised its head when Jean was in its vicinity, just never cared for the fickle woman to be its life's partner. However, the human part of him refused to back down and believed himself to be so blinded by love for the telepathic doctor. Then Jean had married Scott and he was left to agonize over if he was ever in love with her? He now knew that the answer to that was an unequivocally no. What he knew all along and refused to admit and accept was that Jean did not want and could not love him. Jean enabled him to be human and not have to deal with his beast's ceaseless yearnings for a mate and pack. And as an added bonus, flirting and tailing Jean was the best way to get Scooter's goat.

Once he had convinced himself that she was beyond his reach, that she undeniably deserved a world that he was in no position to give her and that she would never reciprocate his feelings, running from Ororo's irresistible pull was easy. Reconciling himself to fighting his connection and love for Ororo, these silly thoughts were the perfect excuses contrived to help him cope and maintain some semblance of order in his chaotic life. But his Ororo had saw through his façade clearly and continued to weave her magic over him.

As Logan took the back stairs up to his room, he was relieved that he didn't run into anyone, as his mind wandered to their last meeting, when he went to inform her of his looming departure. He had waylaid her in her beloved greenhouse as she was lovingly tendering and humming to her variety of orchid plants. Her soft humming was like a lullaby to him, one of her habits that he secretly enjoyed. He knew that she knew that he was there. She had long ago told him that as he can scent when she was near, she too was able to know when he was nearby by memorizing the pattern of the elements that surround him. She had told him that everyone's pattern was different and that it never changed. His beast, scenting her intoxicating aroma began to relentlessly claw at him, attempting to break free to claim the one it had chosen as its mate. Its nonstop chant was grating and loud. _Mate…Mine…Mate…Mine._ It took a sheer act of will to beat the beast back, but he knew it wouldn't be long before his feral gain control and claim her. Hence his decision to leave.

"Hey, darlin'."

"Hello, Logan. How are you today?"

His hesitation lets her know that he was troubled. He didn't have to tell her, but she knew about the constant battle his human half waged with his feral half. And she knew that the battle was quickly nearing an all out war.

"I'm fine, 'Ro."

"Are you sure?" She asked softly. She was yet to turn around and look at him.

She sensed his nervousness and knew it was something important he wanted to tell her. She slowly removed her gardening gloves.

"'Ro, darlin'..."

Ororo turned around then, just in time to see him run his hand down the back of his neck, showcasing his nervousness. It was a habit of his she adored.

She gifted him with a soft smile. "What is it, James?"

The corners of his mouth lifted into his trademark crooked smile. Another of his habits she adored. He had since learned his full name about two years back, when he was able to retrieve some of his stolen memories and Ororo, Xavier and Marie were the only ones he had confided in. But Ororo was the only one who used his birth name and the only one who could get away with it. The sound of it coming off her lips was divine.

How was he going to tell her that he had to leave the mansion in order to fight the imminent battle between his human and feral halves, that was threatening to erupt into an all out war? How was he going to tell her that she was at the very center of this battle?

"I'm leavin'," he blurted out. "I have ta get..."

He was cut off by her index finger on his lips. He felt the inadvertent caress down into the depths of his soul.

"You do not have to explain. I can tell that you have been having trouble with your feral half for a while now and that you must answer its call." She smiled at him softly. "We are both of nature Logan and I know when we have no other choice but to bow to our primal sides."

As always, he was in awe of how much she was in tuned with him, what he was thinking and what he was feeling.

"Are ya gonna be ok while I'm gone?"

Ororo laughed lightly. "I will be fine. You worry too much."

"I'll always worry 'bout ya, darlin'."

"Do you know how long you will be gone?"

Logan shook his head. He had no idea. "I can honestly say I don't."

Ororo nodded understandingly. Her cerulean eyes met his, conveying countless emotions to him. "Just promise me that you will be careful."

Logan saw the emotions swirling in her incredible eyes, refusing to believe that he was seeing what he so desperately needed to see. "Promise."

Suddenly, as if driven by a mysterious force, they drew closer to each other. His arms reached out to grab her waist and pulled her flush against him and Ororo's arms snaked up to intertwined around his thick neck. One of his hand came up to cradle her cheek, while sterling gray eyes sought out and adored each feature of her face. His thumb stroked across her luscious mouth. Of their own volition, her eyelids shuttered as tears gathered into her eyes.

"Don't cry, darlin'. Ya have no idea what it does ta me," he muttered before he hesitantly bent his head and brushed his lips across hers. Raw, animalistic lust seared through him. Ororo's breath escaped from slightly parted lips in a light, contented whisper. Logan stared down at her mouth for a few moments before succumbing to the nameless temptation again and touched her lips with his.

Instinctively she moved closer and their bodies brushed, touched and fused. Instantly a primeval hunger seized them, the stumbling blocks were thrown aside and a flood of sexual tension that had been building since they first laid eyes on each other burst free of all the barriers attempting to squelch their happiness. He clutched her to him as his mouth melded into hers. Strong arms, yet gentle, wrapped around her back and molded her against his body with such a perfect fit that Ororo became giddy by the sensations. Her hands drop from around his neck, found their way to his waist and settled slightly on his belt. They then made their way around to his lower back, then up to explore the sinewy muscles under his simple white T-shirt.

Logan's hands moved to ravage her gloriously soft hair before they cupped her head and held it immovable while the exploration of her mouth deepened. His mouth moved over hers, testing and delighting in each angle and savoring her taste. His tongue slid persuasively along her bottom lip before it dipped into her mouth, repeatedly dueling with hers. The plunder increased in rhythm and fierceness until it became too significant, too intensely passionate, too erotically symbolic for them to ignore any longer. They broke apart under the impact.

Time stood still as they absorbed the enormity of what they just shared. Their bodies were still pressed against each other, both refusing to relinquish the contact. Their eyes pleaded with each other for understanding. Both pleaded for understanding that this kiss that they shared was a force to be reckoned with and it had undoubtedly changed the dynamic of their entire relationship. Separately, his were asking for her understanding of why he had to leave and hers were asking for his understanding that they had a million and one things to sort out once he came back. Messages were transmitted and received. She understood perfectly well and he had her full support to seek refuge from all the distractions here at the mansion, to deal with his inner turmoil. He understood that once he was back and make no mistake, he would be back, that they had to lay all their cards on the table and clear the air if this energy between them was to burst free and proceed further.

He reached up to gently stroke the jawline of this wonderful creature standing before him and she instinctively leaned into his kind caress. "I'll be back, darlin'."

"I know you will be," she said barely above a whisper. "I shall be awaiting your return."

He stood there for a few more minutes, imprinting her exquisiteness to memory. Halfheartedly, he turned from her and left the greenhouse without a backward glance, knowing that if he took the chance and look back at her, then all bets were off and he wouldn't be going anywhere.

Logan sighed as he twisted the door knob and opened his bedroom door. 'Ro had did a thorough job cleaning his room. He grinned, suddenly impatient to see her. He dropped his duffel at the foot of the bed and toss his Stetson on the bed before he began stripping out of his muggy clothes, intent on taking a nice, relaxing shower before he journeyed downstairs for dinner and somehow enjoy the impromptu party Xavier was sure to have tonight to celebrate his return from his yearlong sojourn. As he bent down to remove his boots, he spotted something glistening, lying just underneath the bed. Curious, he bent further and reached for the object. He immediately recognized it. It was an intricately fashioned sterling silver blue leaves designed crystal clip barrette. He had saw it in an antique store in Montréal on his very first trip away after he joined the X-Men. The clip had caught his eye and it immediately reminded him of Ororo. The blue leaves so similar in color to her eyes and the colorless crystal reminding him of her hair. She must have lost it while cleaning his room. He held it delicately, recalling the joy on her face when he had presented her with the gift. It marked the beginning of a tradition between them. Anytime either one of them took a trip, they will bring the other back a small gift. Logan never realized the significance of that tradition until recently.

He carefully laid it on his dresser, knowing that he will give it back to her along with the sterling silver sapphire and pearl lightning bolt brooch he had specifically made for her in Thailand this time around. As he finished undressing and made his way to the adjoining bathroom, he hoped that she didn't hold it against him for staying away for so long. He hoped that he would be able to make her realize and believe that his hiatus was not about abandoning her, but about making sure that he was finally in the right place, the right frame of mind to be the man and life partner she deserved.

His time away was a very eye opening experience. He had journeyed to his hideaway in Canada first. There, the painful battle between his feral and human halves erupted into an all-out war. The beast voiced and enacted its displeasure at the man for what it deemed the man's blatant refusal to claim Ororo as their mate, while clinging to an ill-received and unrequited love for Jean. The beast raged at the man for his blindness and downright stupidity for his failure to recognize and embrace Ororo for what she was, what she meant to them. His feral half fought dirty, making it known that the man was denying them their very nature, their right to have Ororo by their side for life. His feral unequivocally refused to accept anything less than victory in this war.

The man railed against the beast's accusations, putting up a valiant fight, only to, in the end succumb and admit his folly. Once the man was able to free his mind and his heart of all hindrances, it became crystal clear to him that the weather manipulator was indeed their match and even more profound, he loved her with everything that made him who and what he was. Jean, as far as he was now concerned, was not even a blip on his radar. Every ounce of love he felt was only for Ororo. The hardest part about his realizations of the nature of his relationship with the doctor was that he had wasted so much time pursuing something unattainable, a figment of his imagination. So much time chasing a ghost, a sham of a perceived love. Even if in some part of his being, he felt some form of love for Jean, it was nowhere near the magnitude of the love he felt and held for Ororo. It was not authentic nor meaningful love.

Next came ridding himself of the foolish beliefs he had held onto for so long, that Ororo was way out of his league, that he couldn't give her all that she deserved and more, and last but not least, that she could never see him in the same light as he did her. Eliminating these beliefs from his psyche was easy when he acknowledged and accepted the fact that they were simply lies, merely excuses he used to delay the inevitable. Ororo was never out of his league, she was in his league all along, both being from, of and with nature. They were two sides of the same unique coin, with her being the perfect complement to him. She was the elegance to his gruffness, the light to his dark, the calmness to his rage.

Letting go of his feelings of worthlessness and dishonor and realizing that Ororo simply wanted to be loved unconditionally for the woman she was and not the Goddess persona, made him recognized and accept that he was indeed the man who can give her all that she deserved, or die trying. Realizing her need for unconditional love was easy because it was one of the many messages silently transmitted between them that day they shared the kiss that breathed new life into his very existence. He knew that he wanted, no needed, to make her happy for the rest of their lives together. After many experiences he's had in his long life, he realized that Ororo was pointblank the best thing that ever happened to him.

Finally, he knew that Ororo felt the same way he did and quite possibly felt deeper than he did. That was clearly a message received during their last meeting. He was at first stunned at what he plainly saw illuminating in her eyes. Amidst the fear, yearning, sadness, kindness, friendship, courage and the many other emotions swirling in those lovely eyes, was love, unadulterated love. And it was all for him. He had left knowing that failure was not an option and he had to do right by her and for her.

Once he was purged of the foolish thoughts and his beast was content with their choice, Logan had traveled to parts of the world where he remembered some things having a profound effect on him. There he was able to further purge himself of the guilt he still harbored for committing atrocities as a mind controlled weapon of the government. He had realigned himself with the universe, finally completely accepting who and what he was.

He emerged from the most satisfying shower he'd had in months. As he dressed for dinner, his thoughts wandered to what Ororo's reaction to seeing him after all this time would be. A sliver of doubt crept up on him as he wondered if the love and passion her saw in her eyes still burned for him. But he squashed the doubt as fast as it came, opting to do what he'd done all of his life, trust his instincts. Logan finished getting ready for his welcome home party disguised as a dinner, but in truth, his mind was not focused on getting reacquainted with his teammates, but focused on the most important conversation he was ever going to have in his life. Quietly, resolutely, he slipped out of his room, ready to claim what was his.


	2. Chapter 2

Ororo stood on her balcony in a white tank top and matching lace thongs, relishing the high humidity of the air. Thanks to her mutation, she wasn't bothered by it. He was back, just as he had promised. She never doubted that he would be back, because he always somehow managed to keep his promises to her. She had promised him that she would await his return and she had. Logan. Wolverine. James. Her heart. Her soul mate. Loving him was so easy, but it hadn't always been that way. From their very first interaction with each other, Ororo sensed a fundamental power at play. She wasn't instantaneously attracted to the enigmatic feral. She was instantaneously in love with him. It was a completely shocking experience and had left her mystified and uncertain. This was something that had never happened to her and she had no clue as to how to go about dealing with it. Denying it and ignoring it was an absolute waste of time because the feelings progressively and continuously grew in intensity.

She was hurt and even more confused that he didn't appear to feel the same about her, as his dogged pursuit of Dr. Jean Grey proved. She felt incomplete and envious as she was forced to sit back and watch him attempt to get Jean to love him. Jean was undeserving of the devotion and love Logan only gave a glimpse of. Jean's claims to loving one man, while simultaneously seeming to encourage Logan's behavior proved that hands down. Ororo was stumped. Feelings like what she carried inside of her for the gruff animalistic former government created weapon couldn't be one-sided. Could they?

It was heart wrenching to say the least, but she sucked it up and settled for being his friend. Once she saw beyond the gruff and crude layers of Logan, she was able to see clearly a loyal, tender heart and an intelligence that rivaled no other. She saw their friendship as an extension of that love and adoration she had for him. Then Jean had married Scott and Logan had ceased his overtly pursuit of her. Ororo knew that the tide had turned after that and overtime, she and Logan grew closer and it soon became apparent that Logan had feelings for her. Feelings that didn't fall into the friendship category. But Jean, being the attention seeker she was, always found a way to entice him back into her web. But Jean underestimated the one thing about Logan she couldn't and as far as Ororo was concerned, could never understand, his bestial side.

Once Ororo accepted her fate, she came to understand that her rapidly growing feelings for the feral were primal and natural, as they were both children of nature. It was Logan's feral half that drew her in and had her heart. She used that as her foundation to reach out to his human half and grew to love him with an intensity and ferocity that rivaled no other. The other residents of the mansion didn't grasp the complete picture of who and what Logan was and that is why they saw him as a murderous animal, a wild man with no measure of good in him, who didn't give a damn about anything and anyone. But oh! How wrong they were.

In addition to her, Marie and Charles were the only ones that grasped to some extent who and what Logan truly was. However, her knowledge was different from theirs. Marie's knowledge was born from having absorb some of the feral's life force on a few occasions. Charles' knowledge stemmed from when Logan allowed him access into his mind during those times he was desperate to remember his past. Her knowledge arose from the irresistible, rudimentary pull she felt coming from that animalistic part of him. From there, their friendship and bond grew deeper and stronger. She knew that what they shared was something meaningful, out of this world and primordial. There became no doubts in her mind that the universe was preparing them for something greater. Their shared kiss before he left was testament to that. She laughed lightly as she allowed herself to slip back to that day in her greenhouse.

She knew he was there before he uttered a single word. And she knew why he was there. It was only a matter of time before he left to answer the call of his primitive nature. She recognized the signs clearly as she herself was fighting answering her own call.

"Hey, darlin'." His gravelly voice caressed her.

"Hello, Logan. How are you today?"

When he was troubled, he always hesitated, like he did now.

"I'm fine, 'Ro."

"Are you sure?" She asked softly. She had yet to turn around and look at him.

Sensing his nervousness, she slowly removed her gardening gloves without facing him

"'Ro, darlin'…"

As she turned around, she saw him run his hand down the back of his neck. It was another one of the many things he self-consciously did that endeared him to her.

With a soft smile, she asked, "What is it, James?" She saw the corners of his mouth lifted into that crooked smile that belonged to only him. She was the only one that could use his birth name and get away with it. When he had reclaimed some of his lost memories, he had chosen to confide in only her, Charles and Marie. Ororo had smiled, remembering the day when he had come to her, shy and afraid of her judgment. Her reassurance had given him the courage he needed to open up and pour forth all that he remembered. It was at the very moment he revealed his first name to her that she had let go and fully embraced her love for the enigmatic Canadian.

Ororo saw his struggle to inform her of his leaving.

"I'm leavin'," he blurted out. "I have ta get…"

She made it easy for him when she placed her index finger on his lips. She felt that simple action all the way into her core and she saw something completely new flashed quickly in his eyes. "You do not have to explain. I can tell that you have been having trouble with your feral half for a while now and that you must answer its call." She smiled at him softly. "We are both of nature Logan and I know when we have no other choice but to bow to our primal sides."

"Are ya gonna be ok while I'm gone?"

Ororo laughed lightly, it was so like him to worry about her. "I will be fine. You worry too much."

"I'll always worry 'bout ya, darlin'." His words stirred her.

"Do you know how long you will be gone?"

He shook his head. "I can honestly say I don't."

She nodded understandingly. Her eyes met the beautiful gray of his, conveying everything she felt for him at that moment. "Just promise me that you will be careful."

"Promise." She believed him because he always was able to keep his promises to her.

Then unexpectedly, as if driven by an unknown power, they gravitated closer to each other. Simultaneously, his arms reached out to grab her waist as her arms reached up to entwine around his thick neck. One of his hand came up to cradle her cheek, while his eyes roamed over her face with something akin to adoration. His thumb stroked across her mouth and of their own free will, her lids closed as tears form in her eyes.

She heard his raspy voice utter, "Don't cry, darlin'. Ya have no idea what it does ta me," before he cautiously bent his head and brushed his lips across hers. Her breath escaped from slightly parted lips in a light, contented whisper and Logan stared down at her mouth briefly before melding their lips together.

The kiss took on a whole new meaning once they were seized by a primal hunger that destroyed all the barriers erected to stop the flood of sexual tension that had been building since they first laid eyes on each other. He clutched her to him as his mouth melded into hers. As his strong, gentle arms secured themselves around her and molded their bodies together into a perfect fit, she became dizzy with sensations. Their hands explored each other as the kiss deepened. The impact of the eroticism, ferocity, hunger and significance of the kiss forced them to break apart. They stood still as they absorbed the enormity of what they just shared, as their eyes pleaded with each other for understanding that this kiss, a symbol of something profound had absolutely changed the scope of their entire relationship. She caught his pleas for her to understand why he had to leave and she was positive he caught her pleas to understand that a conversation between them was long overdue if whatever this was between them was to succeed and proceed.

He reached up to gently stroke her jawline. She unconsciously leaned into the caress, while he whispered another promise to her. "I'll be back, darlin'."

"I know you will be," she had responded in kind. She then rendered her very own promise to him. "I shall be awaiting your return."

She then stood there, lovingly taking in everything about him, before he reluctantly turned and left the greenhouse without a backward glance.

Ororo turned away from the balcony, stripping off the meager clothing she had on, making a beeline for her claw foot bath tub already filled with warm sudsy lavender scented water. Her intention now was to soak away any remaining trepidations before venturing downstairs. She sighed as she slowly descended into the water and laid her head back against the tiled wall. She allowed her thoughts to drift once again.

She had understood perfectly the necessity of his hiatus, which is exactly why she had taken her own sojourn. Her very own primitive side was desperately calling to her for its freedom. Her true uninhibited self she had locked away in the deepest parts of her being, denying herself of whom and what she truly was. She paid the price daily for bowing to the dictates of a society who deemed that part of her unacceptable and shameful. She felt suffocated, somnolent and lifeless denying her primal nature. Ororo knew that the longer she denied her true self, the more dire her internal struggles became. She also knew that allowing her struggles to get unruly would only lead to an imbalance, not only within herself, but within nature as a whole. This was something she absolutely could not allow because an imbalance would only pave the path for chaos. As the weather goddess, chaos was not an option because her emotions have always been a source of nourishment for nature. Where she was concerned, an imbalance created negative emotions and negative emotions led to death and destruction.

Realizing that time was of the essence, she had requested a three month leave of absence away from her duties at the school and as an X-Man. She returned to her homeland of Africa, where she had free reign to revel in her primitive self. There she realigned herself with the great Goddess, Mother Nature herself and commune with her baser self in some of her homeland's splendor, Victoria Falls, the Serengeti, Mount Kilimanjaro and the Sahara Desert. The best thing she could have done for herself, like Logan did, was to heed her primitive side's call. It allowed her to accept and embrace the part of her that she had kept well hidden.

Her sojourn had also allowed her to resolve her own personal struggles. Struggles, that for so long she had ignored and attached no real consequence too, thinking herself too proud to deal with such mundane things. She paid a heavy price for her pride. As she allowed Africa's natural wonders to cleanse her, she quickly realized that her burdens had to be released if she was ever to achieve happiness in her life. So, Ororo methodically picked apart those struggles, overcoming them one by one.

Her dismal relationship history stood at the forefront. She could count on one hand how many relationships she'd had. Her first one was with T'Challa, a young man she had met in her childhood while she had journeyed from Kenya to a nearby country named Wakanda with her family. She would come to learn that he was the prince of Wakanda. Her relationship with him was more like a childhood crush and with no substance to it and as she had left to come to America, that relationship had fizzled and they had parted as friends.

Her next relationship was with Hank McCoy, who along with her, Scott Summers and Jean Grey, was amongst Xavier's first students. However, they immediately realized that their relationship was doomed to failure and they too parted as friends.

Next came Jonathan Silvercloud, or Forge as he was better known. Forge was a gifted mutant inventor, who came into her life when she was on the cusp of womanhood and had fairy tale views of love and marriage. Although a decade older than her, Forge had wanted her and he made no secret of it. Added to the mix that he was suave, intelligent and handsome, she fell madly in love with the maker. He knew what buttons to push and told her everything she wanted and needed to hear. She freely ate it up and basked in all the attention he was showering on her, believing that he was chosen and sent by the Goddess just for her. But reality quickly sent her crashing back to earth when he withdrew his marriage proposal and fled with another mutant woman he was having an affair with. After that, she had become inhibited and distanced herself from forming any relationships.

Now, forced to resolve this, she had come to a startling realization. Forge never loved her and she knew that she never loved him. Forge was only in love with her Goddess persona, and much like him, she was in love with the attention he showered on her. Somewhere, she Ororo N'Dare Munroe had become what she detested…shallow and self-absorbed. It was a hard truth she had to contend with. Once that admission was out in the open, it was easy for her to understand that, contrary to what everyone thought, she wasn't hurt by Forge's withdrawal of his proposal or infidelity, but by her own stupidity of allowing herself to carouse in superficiality. The shackles that she realized that Forge still had her bind to were now released and her heart was able to beat without any lingering hurt from that experience.

Next came cleansing herself of those feelings of inadequacy and insecurity that she had chosen to ignore and to some extent rule her life. Deep down, she knew the origination of said feelings. It was when she first arrived at Xavier's school and beheld the beautiful and widely popular Jean Grey. Being the only person of color and having white hair, blue eyes and ovaries instead of testes in the school at that time was unnerving. Charles did his best to help her settle down and fit in, but it was a slow process. Many of her fellow classmates were welcoming, while others saw her as a freak. She was happy when Jean approached her, extending a hand of friendship. But it took Ororo a while to realize that there was something about Jean's friendship that prevented them from developing a genuine bond of sisterhood. Don't get her wrong, she loved Jean very much, but there was always an underlying hollowness about her personality that Ororo just couldn't connect with. It was while she was carousing in the Serengeti that she was startled into realizing that there was never any need for her to ever compare herself to Jean. They were different women with different personalities and paths in life. And if she was going to move forward and claim her happiness, she needed to travel her predestined path with confidence.

Taking charge and bringing her personal struggles to the forefront opened her eyes to the fact that, for a very long time, she had stood on that edge of the abyss, an abyss of being discontent enshrouded in a vapid existence. She was afraid of taking that leap to the other side, because crossing that churning abyss seemed too precarious and too risky a chance to take. Fears of being sucked into the void had made her repressed, denying her true self, and instead, settled for bending to tradition, losing a part of her essence day after day. But now, she was ready. Ready to cross over to the other side, where happiness awaited her with no judgments and recriminations.

Ororo had returned from her journey a changed and some would say a new woman. She was now a woman of substance, confidence and determination. All elements of her being were more balanced and there was also a level of elegance to her that was never there before coupled with an underlying sensuality that allowed the aura surrounding her to radiate so brightly, that everyone around her was affected in some way. She had freed herself of the inhibitions she placed on herself and fully embraced her primitive self. Her happiness was plain for all to see and she couldn't help but delight in it. For the first time in her life, she felt genuinely happy and free.

Ororo arose from the now luke-warm water and reached for a towel. Stepping out of the tub, she dried herself off and padded naked to her closet. The faint scent of cigar smoke wafted up through her opened balcony doors. She smiled, feeling a wonderful sense of comfort knowing that he was just below her domain, doing one of the things he loved to do best. "Soon my love, very soon," she whispered.

She wondered what he had brought her back this time around. Each of them will bring the other a small token anytime either one took a trip. It was a custom of theirs Ororo treasured. She chuckled knowing that it was more than likely something sterling silver and she made a mental note to ask him why sterling silver seemed to be a preference of his. She walked over to her vanity, where she had placed the gift box holding a personalized bronze zippo lighter shaped to look like the claws that protrude from his arms. She'd had one of the tribal members who was adept at crafting any metal fashioned it for her. She knew that this gift to him this time around will have to be something that was definitely Wolverine. She clutched the gift box to her heart, suddenly impatient to present it to him.

She completed her toilette, downing a baby blue floral print sarong dress, with a pair of crystal teardrop earrings and white low-heeled thong sandals. She opted to let her hair cascade down her back showcasing its thick waves. Her critical appraisal of the image in the full length mirror determined that she looked as good as she could. A sudden bout of nervousness came over her as she made her way over to close her balcony doors. She stifled the anxiety with the same quickness it occurred. There was no need for her to be nervous, but she couldn't help but shiver, knowing that after the conversation she was bound to have with Logan tonight, her life will never be the same. Boldly and gracefully, she made her way down to the welcome home party Xavier had telepathically informed her that they were having for Logan instead of their usual dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

Logan had slipped down the back stairway he came up earlier, desperately in need of a smoke before the evening's festivities. Unconsciously, he had wandered over to underneath Ororo's balcony, thoughts of her swirling through his mind. His beast had forced him to face some hard truths. It was time for him to claim a mate and not just any mate, but exclusively Ororo. As far as they were concerned, no one else was suited for the position, no scratch that…no one else was worthy of the position. He reached into the pocket of his navy blue short sleeved polo and pulled out a creased wallet sized photo. The photo he continuously kept on his person from the day he had swiped it off of Charles' desk. He smiled adoringly at the beautiful headshot of Ororo, someone had managed to take while she wasn't looking. Her hair was billowing in the evening breeze and she was turned just enough for you to see the soft, secretive smile on her face. _Ours_ , echoed through his head. He gingerly placed the photo back in its resting place and took a hearty pull of the cigar.

It was amazing to him that if anyone had told him that every single one of his life's experiences, remembered and forgotten, would have led him to this very moment in his life, he would dismissed it as nonsense. But now, here he was, after a lifetime of being used and abused, he was about to claim and experience the one thing that he realized he needed to live, not just exist. She was worth every ounce of that battle he fought to realize the very depths of his feelings for her. He wanted, no, craved a future with her because Ororo was vital to existence, as vital as the air he breathed. After he had come to terms with his feelings for her, it was plain to see what he had ignored for so long… that time had finally delivered him his own personal angel in Ororo, sent to exorcise his demons and to make him whole. He grinned when he realized that she had always done that for him. He was always calmer and at peace whenever she was within his vicinity. Their bond had always been strong because he unequivocally trusted her. She was one of the selected few that was ever privy to his thoughts and feelings.

He stubbed out the remnants of the cigar and made his way inside. There were few children in the hallway that called out greetings to him. He responded with his usual grunts and nods. He knew from the various scents and voices in the dining room, he was just about the last one to arrive. His heart beat erratically at the thought of seeing her lovely face after all this time. He took a deep breath and walked into the room, with his trademark swagger.

He knew she sensed him if her intake breath his enhanced hearing heard was any indication. He lazily appraised her from her feet up. His mouth grew dry, his palms became damp and his heart thundered in his chest as his perusal of her came to an end and their eyes met and locked. Each was powerless to control the intense attraction, so they graciously surrendered to it and allowed themselves the luxury of looking at each other. For a moment they were held captive by the other's presence in the room, oblivious of everyone else. Ororo saw mirrored in his face the same desire she felt. Their spellbinding gaze wasn't broken until Hank moved in front of Logan and took his hand in a hearty, backslapping handshake.

"It is good to have you back, my friend," Hank said goodheartedly.

"Thanks, Blue."

Logan looked around for Ororo and noticed that she had already taken her seat next to Remy. The seat next to her was empty, obviously meant for him. He silently thanked whoever arranged the seating for tonight. He strode over to sit next to the love of his life. He reached under the table and grabbed Ororo's hand, feeling a desperate need to touch her. As his firm fingers closed around hers, Ororo dared to raise her eyes to his. They were warm and gave off a hungry look that she fervently hoped no one else could discern. Her reaction was swift. Her heart jumped, she became flushed and arousal swept over her. The corners of his mouth lifted into a facsimile of a smile, letting her know that her reaction was a long awaited one.

Logan's face softened measurably when he leaned over to her and asked, "How ya doin', darlin'?"

Ororo was held mesmerized by the many looks flashing through his eyes that touched on each feature of her face and she grew warmer under his interest. Her heart was beating so strenuously that it stirred the material across her chest, a fact that Logan's keen eyes and superior hearing picked up on.

"I am wonderful, Logan," she whispered.

He took a gentle whiff of her intoxicating scent. It wasn't marred by any artificial scents. "Good ta know."

Pulled together by that same invisible, inexplicable force, they found themselves leaning in closer to each other. Logan could feel the blood roaring in his ears and rushing to his extremities. His fingertips throbbed with the need to touch her. His right eye twitched. Too vividly he recalled the feel of her mouth beneath his. His eyes bored into hers.

Reflexively, her tongue darted out to lick suddenly dry lips and his predatory eyes followed the sensuous course of her tongue. She blushed remembering the abandon in which she had kissed him and the passionate, hot and hungry feel of his mouth on hers.

Their intimate spell was broken when the Professor sent out a telepathic message to gain everyone's attention. When he was satisfied, he began, "Good evening everyone. By now, you all must know that tonight is a celebration in lieu of dinner to welcome back a member of our family, whom it seems had been gone for eons," he waited for the few guffaws to dissipate before continuing, "Please join me in welcoming back our friend and teammate, Logan, the one and only Wolverine."

An excited chorus of 'welcome back' and 'about time' erupted in the dining hall. The excitement was interrupted by Bobby Drake's call for a speech. His call was seconded by Remy's "Yea, mon ami."

Logan looked over to Ororo, her warm smile all the encouragement he needed. He slowly stood. "Ya'll know I ain't good wid words. But, thanks fer welcomin' me back ta the fold. There's no place like home."

Another round of thunderous applause went up before everyone settled down to partake of the dinner. The meal was sumptuous, the atmosphere relaxed and festive. Logan answered questions about where he had travelled to and they were surprised to hear that he was in Canada, Thailand, Japan and Africa.

Ororo was stunned to hear he was in Africa while he was away. She wondered where in Africa he was and made a mental note to ask him about it. She was also relieved that no one knew she was in Africa on her sojourn, so that information wasn't inadvertently diverted to Logan. She wanted to be the one to tell him.

Logan swirled the contents of his glass lazily, noticing out of the corner of his eyes Ororo's pensive expression. "Ya ok, darlin'?"

She patted his knee under the table. "I am fine."

"I brought ya back somethin'."

She scooted her chair closer to his, not wanting anyone to hear their conversation. She knew that he would, so only one question was meant to be asked. "Where?"

He knew what she was asking and he had his answer ready. "Yer greenhouse. After everyone has turned in."

She nodded. "I shall be there."

Unbeknownst to the couple, their secret smiles and side conversations were caught by a few people. Marie was ecstatic witnessing the couple's interaction with each other. She sensed a major shift in Logan, knew that he was a changed man when he came home earlier this afternoon. She had also noticed that there was a significant change in Ororo as well upon her return from wherever it was she had disappeared to for three months earlier in the year. Looking at them interacting with each other now, she hoped that this signaled the next step in their relationship. Even a blind person can see that they complemented each other perfectly. Since she was fortunate to become part of this unique family over five years ago, she knew that Wolverine and Storm were two of a kind. Besides, having the Wolverine in her head on a few occasions opened her eyes to the inscrutable man's thoughts and feelings. She knew that he saw Ororo as a magnificent creature who deserved more than what he, a trained killer could ever give her, which led to his chase of Jean.

Even though Marie knew the truth, it still hurt her that the man single-mindedly chased the undeserving woman. It hurt her because she knew that it hurt Ororo. All a person had to do was look into Ororo's eyes when Jean and Logan were around, and they saw the truth. Ororo loved Logan to a certain degree, Marie was sure that even she would never be able to understand. Additionally, she didn't really care for Jean. Seriously, how can a woman say she loved one man, then turn around and encourage the advances of another? Marie had figured out Jean immediately. She was a shallow, attention whore who wanted the best of both worlds. She wanted the unconditional love of a straight-laced man, while enjoying the advances of a bad boy. Poor Cyclops. Jean's behavior was unbecoming and Marie knew that she wasn't the only one that thought that. She snuck a peak at the redhead on the other side of the table and saw a look on her face that can only be described as disturbed. She had a bit of the Wolverine left inside of her to sense jealousy roiling off of Jean. She could only hope that Logan had finally made his choice to put this matter to rest once and for all.

Charles Xavier smiled inwardly at the couple's interaction. Logan had finally come to terms with his feelings for Ororo and was ready to act on them. For a while he was worried that the two people he held in such high esteem wouldn't be able to find their way to each other, with Logan's one tracked chase of Jean and Ororo's feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. Being the world's greatest telepath, Charles knew that Ororo and Logan would have eventually find their way to each other, but he had refused to interfere, knowing that they needed to work out it out for themselves. When Logan and Ororo had separately informed him of their need to get away from the mansion, he had given them his blessing, no questions asked, knowing what their purposes were. Charles felt elation swelled in his chest. Over the years, he had watched them develop a bond that even he knew was stronger than the one shared by Jean and Scott.

Glancing at the couple, he saw again the results of their individual sojourns. Logan was more mature, seemingly having gained control over his emotions and mental health. He was a thoroughly changed man, ready to accept his fate. He was no longer the erratic, angry feral who was ready to slice and dice at a moment's notice. The African beauty was now more self assured and Xavier blushingly admitted more sensual. She was no longer the insecure aloof woman that arose out of the debacle with Forge. She was no longer the woman who bowed to society's dictates on the standards of beauty and becoming behavior, which resulted in her denying her true nature and felt insecure being in the company of Jean. He had done his best to help her eradicate those feelings and like to think that he was successful to some degree. His only concern now was how Jean would react to this new change. He can only hope that she would let them be, give them the space and time to explore their newly minted relationship.

The Professor smiled as he prepared himself to head up to his room for some much needed rest. He glanced around the room again, a sense of peace coming over him looking at the people who have helped him create this family. He called out a 'good night' to the room and wheeled himself out resisting the overwhelming urge to whistle. Nothing truly happened before its time.

The redhead doctor sitting three seats down opposite Ororo took stock of the hungry looks Logan gave Ororo and their seemingly intimate conversations. She frowned, not liking the pang it sent to her heart. All through the course of dinner, she noticed the undercurrents running between the two every time they looked at or spoke to each other. All evening her mind had strayed to thoughts of Logan. She had sensed a profound change in Logan when he had arrived this afternoon. The palpable intimacy between the two tonight all but solidified that the feral had undergone a radical change during his time away. Jean didn't honestly know if she could accept that, but she also knew that she had no choice but to accept it.

She felt that from the beginning, she was entitled to the attention Logan showered her with. No man, not even Scott, had pursued her with such determination. And damn if she didn't enjoyed it and welcomed it. As much as she was in love with Scott, she couldn't help but admit that Logan's attentions set something off in her. She felt more alive, more sybaritic for the first time in her life. But now, she was on the edge of losing it, now that the simmering romance between the couple across from her became a choking reality. She had always suspected something was going on between the two. She would have had to been blind to not notice the connection that they had shared for a very long time. At first, she had believed that anything between the two was a passing fancy, that it was nothing more than harmless flirting or simply two kindred spirits reaching out to each other. As a precaution, she had done her best to retain his attentions, make sure that he was still aware of her presence, albeit artfully and in a way it wouldn't hurt her husband. She even resorted to taking quick peeks into their minds, but quickly learned that they both were damn near impossible to read psychically, unless they granted you the privilege. But not even she, the powerful telepath that she was, could have seen that the bond between Logan and Ororo has apparently grown stronger and it had become one that she could never fathom.

Jean schooled her features to look as if she was indifferent while covertly observing them. She saw Logan draped his arm around the back of Ororo's chair, his fingers gently brushing across her bare shoulders. To the casual observer, it would appear that he was being friendly, but to the more observant his touch looked more like a caress. She saw Ororo shiver slightly then turned to him and he uttered something that made her laughed lightly. Jean felt like a voyeur. She knew that she should be happy for Ororo, the woman she saw as a sister, but seeing that Logan was the one about to fill Ororo's life with happiness, jealousy rose within her swiftly. She truly wanted Ororo to be happy, but could she accept seeing Logan bestow his affections on Ororo? Could she accept watching them build something strong and everlasting together? She was a happily married woman, but dammit, she had a claim on Logan, being that he never made any secret of his feelings for her, and has always wanted her. Now, bearing witness to the obvious shift in his affections for Ororo, she honestly didn't know how she was going to cope with it or if she could accept it. Jean, unable to deal with any more soul searching and watching Logan and Ororo interact, stood up and hastily excused herself. Scott frowned, sensing his wife's preoccupation through their link, quickly followed her.

Thus began the mass exodus from the dining hall. Ororo looked around surprised that in a matter of minutes, she, Logan, Remy and Rogue were the only ones remaining. "Seems like no one wanted clean up duty."

"'Roro, Ah'll help yah clean up," Rogue volunteered. "Besides, Ah think these two need their nicotine."

Logan and Remy, grateful for the suggestion, headed out to the back.

The ladies worked side by side cleaning up the dining hall first before heading to the kitchen. After a few minutes, Marie said, "Ah'm glad, Logan's back." She peered at Ororo to see what her reaction would be and saw a soft smile from the ebony beauty. "He seems different."

Ororo looked up from where she was loading the dishwasher. "Do you think so?"

Marie nodded, while she cleaned the kitchen island counter. "Yeah. He looks calmer. Like he's ready tah settle down." She noticed Ororo was trying her hardest not to show any reaction to what she was saying, but Marie knew she was affected.

"If there is anyone who deserves to be settled, it is Logan. He has been through a lot."

"Yeah, but Ah still think somethin's missin' from his life."

Ororo lifted an elegant eyebrow. "And what may that be, Rogue?"

Marie smile devilishly. "A wife and family of his own."

Ororo dropped the pan she was about to put in the dishwasher. _Gotcha_ , Marie thought. "Ev'ythin' ok over theah?"

Ororo was thankful when the men came back from their smoke break. Logan walked over to where Ororo was finishing up at the dishwasher. He leaned against the counter, crossing one ankle over the other, his eyes focused on her. Ororo felt the heat of his gaze on her back, but didn't look up. "Ya need some help, 'Ro?"

"Yes," she cleared her throat of the lump that lodged itself there at the sound of his raspy voice. "Can you please take out the garbage?"

His face broke out into a wide grin at her sudden bout of nervousness. "Sure thing."

Marie, seeing an opportunity for the couple to be together, pulled Remy's hand to join her as she made her way out. "Come on, Remy. Yah did promise meh a late night movie in town."

"Oui, chère. Remy must say g'night ta de Wolverine and Stormy."

Ororo rolled her eyes at the nickname. "Good night. Please be careful."

"Cajun, ya better watch out fer my girl." Logan hefted the three garbage bags and turned to take them out.

"Don't fear mon ami. Remy be extra careful wid mon petit fille."

"Night Logan. Night 'Roro," Rogue interjected. She gave Ororo a sly wink before she literally ran out of the kitchen pulling Remy behind her.

Logan came back into the kitchen to see the blush creeping up Ororo's face. His eyes became riveted on her lips, which were parted slightly. Her mouth shone with its own dewy softness and he longed to drink from it.

"Was a nice dinner tonight." He really didn't care about the dinner, only cared about holding her in his arms and not letting go. But his gravelly voice uttered the words to keep him from crushing her against him and ravaging her right there. His beast was restless, yearning to come out and claim her. With great effort he pushed it down.

"It was." She said smilingly. She turned and walked up to him. She cupped his face, loving the feel of his stubble against her palm. "I am very happy you are finally home, Logan."

Logan closed his eyes and lost himself in her gentle caress. "Me too, darlin'." He turned his head and pressed a kiss to her palm.

Ororo's toes curled. She needed to get a grip if she was going to make it through their long awaited conversation tonight. She withdrew her hand from his face, clearing her throat. "Let me finish up in here and then I shall meet you at our rendezvous point in twenty minutes."

He gave her that sexy crooked smile. "See ya in twenty."

For long moments, Ororo stared at the doorway he disappeared through, not seeing anything. Dazedly turning, she finished up in the kitchen then made her way up to her room. She was suddenly elated and nervous about the outcome of tonight.


	4. Chapter 4

At five minutes to eleven, wearing loose fitting jeans, a gray linen shirt and blue slip on canvas loafers, Ororo opened the door to the greenhouse, her gift for Logan clasped firmly to her bosom. Her heart was thudding with anticipation as she crossed the threshold then closed the door. No sooner had she stepped into the building did she see a glow of light coming from the back of the room. With senses on alert, she walked tentatively to the glow.

"Logan?" she called out softly, knowing he'll hear her.

"Back here, darlin'. By yer orchids."

Ororo smiled, wondering if he remembered sharing that life altering kiss by the orchids. The smile he graced her with told her that he did remember. He too had changed, now dressed in a pair of his worn out jeans and white sleeveless shirt. She looked about the room and noticed several lit candles strategically placed around the area. A decorative Middle Eastern blanket was on the floor, with a bowl of her favorite fruits on one corner. There was a mini cooler with a few bottles of beer and water. It was an unexpectedly nice romantic setting.

"Did you do all this?" She asked.

He ran his hands down the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah."

"I like it." She stretched out her hand, holding his gift. "For you," she whispered shyly.

Logan's eyes shot up in surprise and inquiry. He wasn't expecting anything from her. They only brought each other little trinkets when they went away. He wasn't aware that she took a trip.

"I went to Africa about six months after you left," she informed him, finding it hard to withdraw her gaze from his intense one. "Like you, I felt a compelling need to answer to my primitive side, so I was granted a three month leave and I went back home."

"Where in Africa were ya? 'Cause I was in Lagos a few months ago." Logan bent his head to open the gift box. He grinned at seeing the bronze zippo shaped to look like his claws. He gently lifted the zippo out of the velvet-lined box and admired it. "Nice bit 'o craftsmanship." He flipped it open and ignited it, testing it. He grinned again then walked over to her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Thanks, darlin'."

"You are welcome." Ororo laid her hand where he kissed her. "And to answer your question, I went to my village in Kenya for a while. Then I travelled to Tanzania, Zambia and Egypt. You were a busy man travelling all over the place?"

"Felt the need ta visit places that impacted my life."

"And what did you bring me back?" She asked slyly.

He chuckled, walking over to grab the gift bag he had hidden between two orchid plants. Extending the bag to her, he said, "I hope ya like it."

She eagerly tore into the bag, her hand grabbing at nothing but tissue before her fingers gripped the crystal clip barrette. She looked up at him. "I thought I lost this."

"I found it under my bed. By the way, thanks fer keepin' up my room fer me."

She went back to the gift bag and smiled when her fingers clasp the satin box. She placed the gift bag on the table next to her and lifted the lid of the box with trembling fingers. She gasped with pleasure when she beheld the stunning sterling silver sapphire and pearl lightning bolt brooch. She gingerly lifted the exquisitely crafted piece and admired it. She lifted shimmering eyes to him. "This is quite stunning, Logan. Thank you."

The look of pleasure on her face caused his lungs to constrict. "Yer welcome," he said huskily. "I wanted ta get ya somethin' that represented ya."

She continued to carefully twirl the brooch around, admiring it. "Why do you always get me silver or platinum?"

He stepped closer to her, carefully taking the brooch out of her hands and replacing it back it its box, laying it back into the gift bag. He then took her by the hand and tug her down with him to the blanket on the floor. He turned her hand face up and rubbed his thumb over her palm.

"Simple, 'Ro. Silver and platinum represent the planet Venus and Venus also happened ta be the Roman Goddess of love and beauty. After the moon, Venus is the next brightest natural entity in the night sky." He brought her palm up to his lips and kissed it, his tongue coming out to dampen it. "You, are my own Goddess and are everythin' Venus represents."

Ororo shivered at his words and caress. He wasn't one for dishing out compliments, but when he did, he went all the way in. She was ready to melt into him. His words left her wanting so much more, but they needed to clear the air first. She tilted her head slightly, her hair cascading down the side of her face like a glistening waterfall. "What is happening between us, Logan?"

His eyes riveted to hers at her expected, yet unexpected question. Her throat closed as tightly as the fists she clenched in her lap. She held the compelling force of his eyes. "Are ya sure yer ready?"

"Yes. We did have an understanding that we needed to settle things between us once you came back."

Logan nodded. "Fair enough. I hope ya ain't tired, darlin', 'cause when we're done, I don't want no confusion between us and where we're headin'."

Ororo shifted in her position on the floor and reached for the bowl of fruit. Logan reached into the cooler for a beer. He was going to need it and then some.

He shrugged self-consciously before leaning back to rest on his side. He took a swig of the beer. "My first impulse when me and Marie came here, was ta run. Then I saw ya and my instincts told me ta stick 'round fer a bit. I didn't know what the hell it was all 'bout, 'til I started feelin' things fer ya."

Ororo's heart leaped into her throat at his revelation. She kept her cool and kept her eyes focused on him, encouraging him, knowing how hard it was for him to open up. "I came up wid a lot of reasons why ya would never want an animal like me. So, I did what I did best, I ran."

Ororo sensed a big reveal coming, so she wisely kept silent.

Logan exhaled loudly, then took a huge gulp of the beer. "I chased after Jeannie ta escape what I was feelin' fer ya." He leaned closer to Ororo, his voice raspy, yet clear. "I've never loved her contrary ta popular belief." He sighed and raked his hands through his hair agitatedly. "Look, 'Ro. Chasing Jeannie was meant ta ferget 'bout ya. But nothin' I did made me ferget ya. Ya have ta believe me. Jeannie meant nothin' ta me."

Ororo's heart began beating rapidly with immense joy at his admission. She was sure that with his keen hearing, he could hear it. She looked into the eyes she loved, into the face that bespoke such strength and courage. "Oh Logan. We could have saved each other so much heartache."

He reached for another beer, having long finished the first one. "I wasn't ready yet, 'Ro. My mind was in a mess and I didn't have a damn thing ta offer ya."

"That never mattered to me, Logan," she whispered.

He cocked his head and looked at her. The dim light of the candles giving her an ethereal glow. His beast howled with impatience, wanting the man to hurry up with his explanations and claim their mate. "It mattered ta me, 'Ro. Ya're so damn beautiful, generous and lovin'. Ya deserve nothin' but the best."

She remained silent, feeling tears welled up in her eyes.

"Ya know I have an animal inside me, which is part 'o me," he continued. "That part 'o me laid claim ta ya as its mate a long time ago, 'Ro. I didn't know how ta deal with that. It was always a battle between my human and feral parts. Ya know that."

"That is why you would always leave," Ororo said astutely.

He nodded. "Yeah."

Ororo crept over to get closer to him. She laid opposite him, facing him. She reached out and caressed his cheek. "Why did you not tell me?"

He closed his eyes and relished her soft fingers running along his stubble. "Again, I wasn't ready." He grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to each of her fingers. "This last trip away was different. Ya know that when I came ta ya ta say goodbye, I was fightin' a losin' battle with my beast. He wanted ta claim ya, while me, the man wanted ta continue runnin'. But I knew I had ta make a decision. The beast wasn't gonna rest until I did."

"The kiss?" she asked softly.

"That kiss was the definin' moment fer me. After that, I was sure of what needed ta be done while I was away."

They looked at each other and the truth of what they were feeling for each other was revealed. Raw need and desire crackled between them. He breathed deeply, drinking in her scent as if was the source of his humanity.

"Wow."

"I'm not done yet, darlin'."

Ororo chuckled lightly. "I think I should explain some things as well, before we reveal more to each other."

"Fair enough."

Ororo closed her eyes, taking in the enormity of the conversation so far. She took a deep breath, as the words came to her easily. "Logan, from the very beginning, I felt a connection to you, more specifically, your baser self. Like you, I tried to ignore it and run from it. But it was of no use. So, I just let myself succumb to it."

Logan stroked the back of her hand absentmindedly, held captive by her beguiling eyes.

"It hurt me immensely witnessing your single-minded pursuit of Jean and seeing what it did to Scott. So, I sucked it up and settled for being your friend. I also thought that you could not love me because I did not measure up to Jean."

That shocked him. He frowned. How could she think she didn't measure up? Didn't she know that she was the most beautiful of women? Didn't she now that Jean didn't and couldn't hold a candle to her? Then his eyes lowered in shame when he realized the huge role he played in exacerbating those feelings in her. "I'm sorry, 'Ro," he muttered self-deprecatingly.

Ororo reached out and as she did the last time they were in this spot, place her index finger on his lips. "No, no. You did not make me feel that way. I have felt that way for as long as I can remember."

"What'd ya mean?"

She sighed. This was the part that she dreaded talking about. "I have always felt like a pariah here," she frowned. "Being the only black person and a woman no less, with white hair and blue eyes did not seem attractive. It was definitely not the norm here in the States."

"Ya're beautiful, darlin', Stunnin'." He uttered with absolute conviction.

She graced him with a soft smile. "Jean came to me with an offer of friendship then and Charles did what he could to make me feel comfortable in my new surroundings." She reached over and absently stroked his chest. "However, there has always been something about Jean that I did not connect with. Do not get me wrong, I love her dearly, but there was just something that prevented us from truly bonding as sisters."

Logan stilled her hand absently stroking his chest. "Tickles."

Ororo giggled, then immediately sobered. She was now at the part that was the hardest to put into words. However, seeing the encouragement on Logan's face, made her realize that frankness was best. "There was a man before you came here. His name was Forge, a gifted mutant inventor. I was nineteen when I met him and he was a decade older than I was. He wined and dined me, told me what he believed I wanted to hear and treated me like a Queen. Before long, I was in love and I thought he loved me too. Naturally, he asked me to marry him and I of course said yes."

She sighed and closed her eyes. Logan sensing that it was hard for her to open up about this hurtful part of her life, reached across to brushed a few strands of hair away from her face, to offer her some semblance of support.

"It all came crashing down three days later when he withdrew his proposal and ran off with another woman he was having an affair with. Suffice it to say, I was devastated and the weather reacted to that devastation. After all was said and done, I withdrew within myself and tried incredibly hard not to let my emotions get the best of me."

Logan felt for her. He knew her emotions and her mutant abilities were interconnected, so he could only imagine the toll it took on her to keep her emotions in check. It all made sense why she had appeared to come off as coldhearted at times. "I'm sorry, darlin'. Ya of all people don't deserve that."

She smiled tremulously. "I realized that it had to happen to bring me to this point in my life." She reached for his hand and linked their fingers together. She pierced him with an intense stare of her own. "I told you all of this to explain why I felt the need to take a hiatus of my own. For so long, I have caved into and lived by society's rules, ignoring my true self. It took its toll on me. I needed to get back the connection with my primitive self and to exorcise the ghosts of Forge and my other insecurities."

He looked at their joined hands, before raising clear eyes to her. "I understand, 'Ro. I needed ta exorcise my ghosts too. I had ta get it together in order to do what the beast inside has been urgin' me ta do fer the longest time."

"And that would be?" Her question was barely a whisper.

He reached out and settled his hands on her shoulders lightly, before inching them closer together. Now face to face, their breaths intermingling with each other, he responded, his voice deeper than usual, "To choose a mate."

"A..a..mate?" She stammered.

He grazed her cheek with gentle fingertips. "A mate." His voice lowered and became husky. "My beast laid claim ta ya longtime ago, 'Ro. Ya're our chosen one."

Stunned by his words, Ororo laid there, staring at him in stupefaction, her eyes wide. She didn't hear him correctly. Did she? She saw herself mirrored in the dark depths of his eyes and was further shocked to see the tears spilling over her lashes.

Logan reached out and gently brushed her tears away with his thumb. "Come on, darlin'. No tears."

"You chose me to be your mate?" She asked unevenly, shyly.

"It's always been ya, 'Ro. Believe that. Everythin' had ta fall in place before I was ready ta let ya know." His thumb then moved over to mesmerizingly trace the delicate curve of her jaw. "Ororo, believe me when I tell ya that I love ya, more than words can say."

Complete and intense joy was evident on her face. Her eyes held his captive and he knew in that instant that all his life's struggles had brought him to this moment. "Oh Logan, Logan. I love you. I love you. I love you," she chanted.

She didn't know she had reached for him until she saw her hand smoothing back an errant strand of dark hair from his forehead. She watched as her fingers move nimbly over the contours of his ruggedly handsome face. He watched her expression. Her eyes were closed, her lips were parted as she emitted a sigh. His mouth was suddenly there, meshing with hers. His tongue slipped past her lips and traced the row of teeth. A gentle nudge was all it took for her to open her mouth and submit to the mastery of his mouth.

Breaking apart to draw breath, he rasped against her ear, "Christ, darlin'." Nibbling lips wandered along her neck to her ear. He teased her earlobe with his tongue and caught at the lobe with his teeth. Her laughter turned into gasps of ecstasy when he probed the inside of her ear with his tongue.

Ororo shuddered. "The kiss we shared before you left signaled a major change in our relationship. I just did not know that this was how major it would be."

Logan's laughter echoed in the stillness of the greenhouse. "That kiss just made me hungry fer more of ya, darlin'."

She shook her head, attempting to dislodge his mouth. They had to finish their conversation before they got carried away. "So, what does this means for us, Logan?"

"Well what do ya know 'bout matin'?"

"I know…" her voice held a trace of desire. She coughed to clear it. "From what I have seen in Africa, once a male chooses his mate then it is for life. He usually gives her a marking to let others know that she is taken."

Logan nodded. "Yep. The markin' is forever. Once we mate, the bond is unbreakable. We become more attached ta each other and won't be able ta resist each other. Do ya know how the markin' is done?"

Ororo trembled. His words sending electricity coursing through her entire body. "It is usually a bite on the female's neck, which lasts forever. It is done during…" she blushed. "It is done during the mating act."

"Ya mean when we make love don'tcha?" He couldn't help but tease her.

Logan laughed at the shocked look on her face. He leaned over to peck her lips softly. "Sorry, darlin'. But only ya will find the classy way ta describe somethin'. Don't ever be afraid ta express yerself 'round me. Ya know I would never judge ya."

She nodded, unable to utter coherent words.

"But there's more ta becomin' my mate," he continued. "There are actually two parts ta it. The first part is like an engagement, where we get ta strengthen our bond and commitment. The second part is when the relationship is made complete by havin' sex. It's when I actually bite ya and our bond is fer life. Our connection gets stronger, more concrete. Between the first and second parts, I court ya, to show ya my strength, show ya that I'm the only alpha that can keep ya safe and protect and cherish ya. Once we mate, I can't reproduce with no one but ya and cheatin' on ya ain't an option. My desire is only fer ya and no one else. Once we mate, we're more or less married."

Ororo laid there, completely fascinated as he explained the mating ritual to her. It all sounded so complex, yet so simple. She shimmied closer to him, touching their foreheads together. "I have some questions."

"Shoot."

"So, is it safe to say that we have completed the first part?"

He inhaled deeply, allowing her scent to course through his body. "Yeah, darlin'."

She nodded, running her fingers over his fabric covered chest. "Do I have to mark you as well?"

"Not necessarily, but its normal ta do so, if ya want."

"Well, I want others to know that you are mine," she whispered seductively. "All mine."

Logan's eyebrows shot up at the sudden change in her. The woman just went from shy to seductive in the span of a heartbeat. And he loved it. "I'm all yers, darlin'. Only yers."

"Good, because I do not have to want to assert my territorial rights."

"Christ, 'Ro. Ya're turnin' me on talkin' like that. When I left ya, ya were shy, what happen?"

She raised eyes shining with desire and love to his. "Once I reconnected with my primitive self, I became more uninhibited, more sure of myself. You like?"

"Damn right, I like." He reached for her lips again, kissing her deeper, hungrily. His hands move up to encircle her neck. His thumb grazed over her collarbone. He then rearranged their bodies, so that she was lying directly under him. He braced his body on his elbows, so as not to crush her with his weight. Catching her bottom lip between his teeth, he worried it gently. She murmured something incoherently.

"What's that, babe?"

"What time is it?"

"Dunno. Didn't wear my watch," he replied. "Why? Ya in a hurry ta leave me?"

She frowned. "No, not at all." She raised herself so her mouth was beneath his. "I was just curious. We can stay here if you want." She locked her hands behind his neck, pulling them both down, until her back rested against the floor.

He nuzzled her neck while her fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck. "Let's get comfy," he whispered. He pushed the long forgotten bowl of fruit and cooler with their drinks off the blanket, then maneuvered his body so that he was lying behind her, spooning her. He gently tugged her closer and wrapped his arms around her. The desire to constantly touch her and the need to be near her, overpowering.

Ororo joined their fingers together. "Logan?"

"Yeah, darlin'?"

"Is it normal for me to feel secure, but yet possessive and jealous?"

He gave her a gentle squeeze. "It's normal. Hell, I'm possessive and jealous too. But ya got nothin' ta be jealous 'bout, 'Ro. I aint' goin' nowhere."

She sighed. "I know. But others may not understand what our relationship is about."

He grunted. "Do ya care what others think, 'Ro?"

"No. I do not."

He squeezed her again. "Then we'll be alright. I can't promise ya that we're gonna have smooth sailin', but I can promise ya, ya're stuck with me."

"I would not have it any other way, my dearest. I love you."

"I love ya too, 'Ro. Yer mine."

She snuggled down deeper next to her chosen mate and closed her eyes, a smile on her face. Her last coherent thought before she let sleep claimed her was that above all else, she was going to support and love and cherish her chosen mate and provide him with the pack she knew he craved.

Logan tightened his arms around her as she snuggled closer. He was calm, but he wouldn't be at peace until he finally marked her for life. His beast was disappointed that he hadn't completed the act tonight. However, Logan knew that, as this was vital to his very existence, it was something he wanted and needed to do right. This was without a doubt, the biggest and most important task he was undertaking and he couldn't afford to play games with it nor mess it up.

* * *

 _ **The End. Thank you for reading.**_


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